affection || reddie 💫

Chapter 10

[warning: there will be use of gay slurs and homophobia in this chapter]

A cold shiver ran through Eddies body as he heard that voice, he stumbled onto the ground trying to back away from Henry Bowers who had gotten out of his car and was now coming towards him, "saw you hugging your little boyfriend back there, you and the rest of your friends are all just a bunch of fairies, huh faggot?" he spat, lifting Eddie up by the shirt and forcefully pushing him up against a tree, Eddie started gasping for air desperately, the pain in his arm starting to intensify.

"I-Im not gay..!" Eddie cried, trying to push Bowers away with his arm that wasn't hurt, "don't FUCKING lie to me!!" Bowers screamed before pulling out his knife, "HOLD HIM!" he yelled at his two goons who immediately rushed over and pinned Eddie to the tree.

Eddie began gasping for more air when he saw the knife, "help—!" he called, hoping that anyone or anything would show up, just when he was about to call for help again, he felt Henry's sharp knife cutting into the skin just below his shoulder, he screamed out in pain as tears welled his eyes,

"this is so everyone knows just how much of a FAGGOT YOU REALLY A-" suddenly a rock hit Bowers face, causing him to look over his shoulder.

"Hey dickheads! Get the fuck away from him!"

They all let go of Eddie, causing him to fall to his knees, he looked over and saw Richie standing there, still throwing more rocks at them, they all then began running after him as he got onto his bike and started peddling away, this gave Eddie enough time to drag himself out of sight, he hid behind a nearby tree and pulled out his inhaler before pumping it into his mouth, trying to stay conscious, his head pounding and his arm numb.

—

After about 15 minutes of waiting, Eddie heard footsteps behind him, he braced himself for whatever or whoever it was, but immediately felt relief when he saw Richies face, "Eddie..! There you are, oh my god baby i'm so sorry, what the fuck, i'll kill them I swear, they'll never touch you again.." he said, panic in his voice as he kneeled in front of him, Eddie tried to stand up but winced in pain as he held onto his injured arm.

"Here.. i'll carry you.." Richie then picked Eddie up bridal style and carried him out, "my arm Rich.. I think it's.." Eddie trailed off, looking at his bruised and stiff arm that he hadn't moved in a while, "i'll get you home don't worry.. I cant believe that motherfucker followed us! I won't let him near you again okay..? I'm so sorry Ed's," Richie sighed, he then turned his attention to Eddies other arm which was bleeding quite badly, "holy shit did he cut you?"

"Y-yeah but it's fine... he-he kept calling me a.." Eddie took in a deep breath before continuing, "a faggot... Rich he saw us hugging and now he probably knows we're together, he'll kill us Richie, and what if he finds out about Stan and Bill too??"

"He won't Eddie, listen.. just because he saw us hugging doesn't mean shit, he's called us that word since the start, he doesn't know anything.." Richie reassured him.

—

Finally Richie made it to Eddies house, still holding him in his arms. He carefully put him down, letting him stand before knocking on the door, "Eddie bear?" Sonia asked as she opened it, she saw her son standing there, holding his arm in pain, and blood on the other. "Oh my god Eddie bear! What happened? Who did this to you??" she gasped as she grabbed him and dragged him inside, "Mrs K.. it was the bullies, they—"

"No! I don't want you going near my son again, you hear me? This is your fault, I know what you are, and I don't want my boy to become one too, so just stay away from him!" she then slammed the door in Richies face, he could feel tears slowly forming in his eyes so he took off his glasses and wiped them away before sprinting off down the street.

After grabbing his bike from the side of the road he peddled the rest of the way home, he wanted to go back there and tell Sonia that she was wrong, that being gay was nothing to be ashamed of, but he didn't wanna make things worse than they already were for Eddie. It seemed everyone in this shitty town was homophobic, Eddie and Richie couldn't even hold hands in public without being stared at, he couldn't wait till he was older, to get out of here and live some place where no one cared, because fuck man, Derry sucked big time.

Richie swung his front door open and slammed it behind him before running to the phone and dialling Bills number,

"Hello?"

"Bill..! Thank god, could you come over please..? Something happened,"

"Who's that?" Richie heard another voice from over the phone ask, "It's Richie, and yeah, i'll come, Stanley's here too,"

"Okay i'll see you both soon then.." He then hung up the phone and stormed up to his room, "Richard?" Wentworth called (Richies dad), knocking on his bedroom door, "fuck do you want?" he spat, his dad then opened the door and looked inside, "this place is a dump! Why don't you do something useful and clean it?" he asked with a frown on his face.

"Later.." Richie mumbled, adjusting his glasses, "do you need anything? New glasses? School stuff?" his dad asked, "my glasses are fine, and no, I don't, why do you suddenly care?" he answered.

"I'm just asking Richard, and I want you to clean your room today okay?"

"Fuck sake don't call me Richard, it's Richie, and fine, just get out,"

His dad then shut the door and left, Richie flopped back against his bed, sighing as he rested his eyes for a little while he waited for Bill.

—

"Is he seriously asleep?" Stanley asked as Bill opened the door and they both stepped into his bedroom, Bill looked at his boyfriend and shrugged, "w-w-wake him u-up then.."

Stanley grabbed onto Richies legs and dragged him to the edge of the bed, "WAKE UP IDIOT!" he called, causing Richie to jolt up and his eyes to shoot open, "what the fuck Stanley! You could've killed me!"

"But I didn't,"

"But you could've!"

"Sh-shut up g-guys!" Bill rolled his eyes and walked over to the bed before sitting down, "Richie, you said something happened.."

Richie took a deep breath in before sitting up and telling both of them what happened, "w-wait so Eddie b-b-broke his arm..?" Bill asked, "i'm pretty sure.." Richie replied. "Just like that summer.." Stanley said quietly, looking down at his feet, both of them turned their attention to him, "remember when Eddie broke his arm last time..?" They all went silent, flashbacks of that summer replaying in their minds, "in N-n-nei.. n-n-nei—" Bill let out an irritated sigh, his stutter stopping him from finishing the word, "Neibolt," Richie looked at them.

"anyway.." Stanley said, trying to change the subject, "where's Eddie now?"

"I took him home, Mrs K is probably taking him to the hospital or something.." Richie sighed, tears welling his eyes, Bill noticed this and shifted next to him, pulling him into a hug, "it's okay R-rich.. he's s-s-safe now he'll b-be okay.." he reassured him, "I know I just.. he means so much to me and the thought of him getting hurt again..." Richies voice trailed off as he was now crying into Bills shoulder, Stanley joined the hug too and they all sat there hugging in silence, letting Richie get it all out.